Book Description

You're educated and ambitious. Sure, the hours are long and corporate politics are a bane, but you focus on getting the job done, confident that you will be rewarded in the long run. Yet, somehow, your hard work isn't paying off, and you watch from the sidelines as your colleagues get promoted. Those who make it to management positions in this intensely competitive corporate environment seem to understand an unwritten code for marketing and aligning themselves politically. Furthermore, your strong work ethic and raw intelligence were sufficient when you started at the firm, but now they're expecting you to be a rainmaker who can "bring in clients" and "exert influence" on others. The top of the career ladder seems beyond your reach. Perhaps you’ve hit the bamboo ceiling.

For the last decade, Asian Americans have been the fastest growing population in the United States. Asians comprise the largest college graduate population in America, and are often referred to as the "Model Minority" – but they continue to lag in the American workplace. If qualified Asians are entering the workforce with the right credentials, why aren't they making it to the corner offices and corporate boardrooms?

Career coach Jane Hyun explains that Asians have not been able to break the "bamboo ceiling" because many are unable to effectively manage the cultural influences shaping their individual characteristics and workplace behavior -- factors that are often at odds with the competencies needed to succeed at work. Traditional Asian cultural values can conflict with dominant corporate culture on many levels, resulting in a costly gap that individuals and companies need to bridge. The subtle, unconscious behavioral differences exhibited by Asian employees are often misinterpreted by their non-Asian counterparts, resulting in lost career opportunities and untapped talent.

Never before has this dichotomy been so thoroughly explored, and in this insightful book, Hyun uses case studies, interviews and anecdotes to identify the issues and provide strategies for Asian Americans to succeed in corporate America. Managers will learn how to support the Asian members of their teams to realize their full potential and to maintain their competitive edge in today’s multicultural workplace. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Loudest duck does NOT get shot...
Must read for Asians who work because they have to, not because they want to.As a typical Asian, first-born male, I've been brainwashed to support my family whether they want it or not...of course they're not going to say anything, but their actions speak louder than words.

This book explains that we do not have to change ourselves to succeed.It gives us insights as to how we can utilize our various skill sets to enhance our careers and personal experiences in corporate America.

If you're upbringing has been influenced by your culture and heritage and you're not aware of how it impacts your career, or even if you're aware of how it impacts your career, but you don't know what to do about it...pick up this book.

Squeaky wheel gets the oil ...
However, having grown up in a traditional Asian immigrant family, I was told over and over again by my parents that "empty can makes louder noise".I learned the virtue of being thoughtful (think twice before saying anything needless), which apprently has not helped me much in the ways of advancing my career as a manager.

This book is a MUST read for anyone working in a multi-cultural corporation, especially for those who comes from Asian heritage. It will help you better understand yourself, and provide you with the corrective lense (if you will) to get a better sense of how others really see you (or don't see you) when you keep your thoughts to yourself.

Very well written, and it is easy reading. ... Read more

Book Description

In e-Learning and the Science of Instruction authors Ruth Colvin Clark and Richard E. Mayer— internationally recognized experts in the field of e-learning— offer essential information and guidelines for selecting, designing, and developing e-learning courses that build knowledge and skills for workers learning in corporate, government, and academic settings. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A great deal of research in e-learning summarized
Over several million years, humans have learned from other humans, by speech, action and observation. It can be strongly argued that this is hard-wired into our genes, as the survival advantages of communication and learning from each other are obvious. In the last few decades, a new and fundamentally different form of learning has emerged. This form of learning requires only one human, the learner. Instruction is carried out via a computer, which has the advantage that it never grows frustrated or impatient with the student and will repeat the lesson an indefinite number of times.
However, the first attempts to replace the human instructor were not successful. Early programs that were little more than drill and practice were dull and students lost interest very quickly. The repetitive nature and lack of originality proved to be a near-fatal weakness. The first online courses were little more than correspondence courses, where the correspondence was electronic rather than via letters. As was the case with correspondence courses, a small percentage of the students did well, but most found them inadequate.
It turns out that the successful electronic delivery of learning material is very hard, much harder than the traditional method. It requires new forms of thought and a great deal of attention to detail such as colors and sounds. Electronic delivery also requires a level of sensory stimulation, such as a combination of visual and audio, which is consistent with traditional modes of learning.
Therefore, until computers reached the point where the instruction could be multimedia and user-driven, e-learning could never really be a viable alternative. Now, that has changed and this book contains a large amount of collected wisdom about how to construct and evaluate quality lessons. The authors summarize an enormous amount of research in the field, presenting it in an easy to understand manner. I created online courses for a college and instructional material for my corporate training classes before I read the book and I found their pointers to be right on the mark. They described many of the problems I encountered and their proposed solutions were generally similar to those I found through trial and error.
If you are considering either the development of online courses or are evaluating some for purchase, then you should read this book. The current power of computers can easily convince you that electronic education is much easier than it actually is, and this book will help you avoid making errors.

excellent content, okay readability
Although I agree with the reader from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada that the book reads like a university textbook, I have found it very useful for designing and justifying my designs of online instruction. When someone wants you to change your design, you can respond by saying, "According to Clark and Mayer, people who learn from integrated text and graphics performed 68% better." Stats like that help to justify budgets!

One of the very best
I have been developing and teaching online courses for several years and have an extensive library that I have collected over that time. I have found this book to be one of the four or five I return to on a regular basis.

As a person who serves as a reviewer for other faculty work, I lament that this book is not required reading. In addition to discussing how to correctly use technology it also spends significant time looking at how students learn and how we, as faculty, should adress students in an online environment.

Too Boring and Academic
I found this book boring and not all that practical. It reads like a university textbook rather than a helpful resource for e-learning designers and developers. The example screens are often busy and it is often difficult to perceive the point that is being made. I live by the 80/20 rule, and wish that this book focused on the 20% of the content that will give 80% of the benefit.

Finally!
THIS is the book I have been looking for! It seems that most of the other books on e-learning start with instructional design principles and cover basic HTML and multimedia aspects of moving a course to the web. This book covered researched principles on what on the web helps and hurts learning. Although I do recommend learning instructional design as a starting point for all your on-line classes, this book will be invaluable when it comes to deciding how to present the content. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Author Nicholas Lore uses the techniques of his career-guidance network, the Rockport Institute, to make The Pathfinder a substitute for a great job counselor. Through goal setting, list making, and other techniques, the book leads readers though the process of deciding exactly what they want to do for a living and finding a way to make it happen. Lore realizes that people have different temperaments and decision-making methods, so he provides individualized advice to suit each one. He also understands that creating a new career requires courage as well as desire, so The Pathfinder devotes plenty of space to motivation and overcoming fears. While anyone looking for a new career will find direction with this guide, people who didn't know they were looking may decide to start once they go through Lore's probing self-examination process. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Read the book and MAKE LIFE HAPPEN.
I worked with Nick to find my perfect career before the book was published, and now it's like having him in my living room whenever I want. His Career Choice Program has been developed over years of committed work and in the book he distills much of this hard-fought wisdom. His secret weapon? Nothing less than forcing you to work hard to ask and answer the right questions that will lead you to a clearer understanding of yourself and the right career for you.

More than just finding a career though, Nick helps you find a better way to look at your life's work than you had before. His probing questions and clear focus on the questions of "meaning, mission and purpose" can give you an entirely new perspective on the important things in your life. I would rank Nick Lore head and shoulders above the rest of the career guidance field.

Not your ordinary self-help book...
At 58, I found The Pathfinder book to be just what was needed as I prepared for the amazing challenge of transforming my life to reach a goal of combining the benefits of retirement while still generating an income. I had read "What Color is your Parachute?" in the 70's and a multitude of spirituality books recently, but The Pathfinder gave me access to a "portable coach inside a book" I used the book to transform my traditional job into a consultant contract, move from east coast to west coast, and create a career direction that grew out of my "natural talents" instead of my interests. To make that happen I needed a path rather a series of pat answers.

The "Path" that Lore propels us along is less linear (but far more helpful if you are turning your life inside out) than the more traditional job seekers' values clarification exercises, or a "How to Get a Job" guide. This book is less about finding a job you like than inventing or reinventing (in the case of mid-career changers) the kind of life you want to have in the area of work or career. Those of us, who are searching for a life path rather than a job, will find the gentle push of commitment actually gets us to where we want to be. I especially liked the practical way the book moved me past my YEAH BUTTS and into action.

Reading The Pathfinder is like having a witty, insightful, life coach who understands human nature and guides your adventures, through humorous stories and analogies. Those of us who have paid for "coaching" know what the coach's job is: to ask the powerful questions, create structures that support the seeker, share the "gold" they have learned from their life experience, and finally trust the person being coached to be responsibility for the results. At the end of the coaching, the life we invent will be our own and be perfect for us because we made it up... The invention is up to the coached. That too is the gift of The Pathfinder!

I have given this book as a graduation gift to high school kids and to recently downsized executives. The Pathfinder is perfect for anyone pursing the dream of finding the work they love to do inside the life they want to live.

Want career help that benefits you, not the author?
If you're looking for help in finding what will make you successful and happy in the workplace, this is it.

Whether you just want to find what you are best at (and what you'll get paid most for!) or whether you're seeking ways to add greater meaning to the largest part of your life, this is what you need.

I've spent the last 10 years (and that's a lot of books on the shelves, guys!!) trying to figure my career out. Reading Nick Lore's book - and using the Rockport Institute's analysis tools -told me what I needed to know to make real, meaningful changes. I can't believe I am writing this, but now I really am doing what I love - and making money doing it!

I have never met Nick Lore, but I know he's put more work into this book and more sincerity into this work - than any author who has taken money from me in the name of self-help.

If only I had read this 10 years ago!!

Thanks Nick!

TURNING WORDS INTO DREAMS
I have never sent in a review before. I bought this book in 1999. I slowly worked my way through it and systematically took back control of my life. Part of that control meant I moved back to my home country England a few years ago. Recently my overseas belongings were finally shipped over including my "personal workbook" and The Pathfinder. To my amazment, I read through my notes and thoughts and realized I was now LIVING everything I wrote down! I am now running my own business doing something I love and it's growing and growing and I am HAPPY! I do wake up excited about my day and not only that, whereas once upon a time the biggest I could dream was where I am now, now obviously I am dreaming bigger! So, I am someone who can write to say that this book has had a PROFOUND effect on my life and changed it fantastically! There is no higher recommendation. If you are serious about having it all - this book will help you get there with love.

Good Advice for those in mid-career review
This book seemed like it was written to help mid-career person to find an area of work that matches their passion which they were unable to do for whatever reason.

A good book but reading marred by many typographical errors. ... Read more

Book Description

Using a fun, comprehensive approach, Funding Your Ministry Whether You’re Gifted or Not addresses the obstacles faced by anyone in ministry who raises personal support. Ideal for missionaries, pastors, Christian organizations, and other fund-raisers, Funding Your Ministry will help answer your questions and put you on the biblical path for recruiting and maintaining donor support.

This 219-page book starts with a thorough teaching on a biblical perspective of fundraising, then presents practical fundraising strategies, including making appeals to individuals and churches, writing newsletters, and donor ministry. Not only is this book packed with vital information—it’s actually fun to read! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best book on fundraising
The focus of this book is that God is the provider of your support and he uses real people to do it.

I too was sceptical of the "ask" focus of this book when I first read it.However, having re-read the book and been to the seminar by www.thebodybuilders.net (highly recommended) I am convinced that sharing your vision for ministry and asking for support face-to-face is very appropriate.Did your husband send you an e-mail asking you to marry you?Did you hope your wife would figure out eventually that you wanted her to marry you?No, you asked in person because it was too important to leave to an e-mail, prayer letter or osmosis.

As to whether this approach is UNbiblical... Just because something is not mentioned in the Bible does NOT make it unbiblical.If so, going to a baseball game would be unbiblical.

Also, to set the record straight about George Mueller... Yes, technically the man never "asked" for money but every time he spoke (in front of tens of thousands of people over time) he shared stories of how God provided in amazing ways at the last possible moment and then said: "but I've never asked anyone for money but God."Well, that may not be asking, but it sure is back-door asking.

So, you may not agree with everything in this book but it is VERY helpful if you need to know where to start in funding your ministry.

One of the best books I've read on the subject
This is a very helpful resource in how to raise financial support for your ministry.Though Morton's suggestions of face-to-face meetings may make some missionaries uncomfortable, it allows you to share your passion for whatever you've been called to in greater depth.It also makes it hard for people to ignore your request for support.The idea of giving money to missionaries makes many people uncomfortable.They reason, "I tithe; isn't that enough?"In the Bible, we see people giving tithes AND offerings.

That said, Morton isn't advocating strong-arming people into giving.That's the Holy Spirit's job.Often, if you simply send a letter to someone asking for support, good-meaning people who'd like to give simply forget to respond!Morton's method emphasizes caring about people as individuals.

As a missionary, I simply can't agree with some of the other reviewers.I think reading this book alongside "Friend Raising" and "Daring to Live on the Edge" will give you a very balanced and Biblical view of support-raising.

Some good but...
I, also, have been a misisonary for 25 years.We have served in a foreign country and in the US.We have always had our needs met and we have never had to ask someone face to face for support.I cannot agree with his methods.I would feel extremely uncomfortable if someone confronted me the way he wants me to confront others!

There are some good things in the book.He has some very good tips on writing prayer letters; what to do and what not to do.There are many good ideas on how to treat your supporters and I am keeping my book because of these good points, but I am ignoring the parts about raising support!

I am glad this method of support-raising works for the author, but I do not see it as being the way God wants us or, anyone for that matter, to raise support.It seems to me to be very much like a business and not a ministry!I would encourage you instead, to read a good biography on George Meuller who NEVER asked anyone but God for money and support!

Very American maybe, but very unBiblical
First of all I need to say, I do have great respect for the author as a Christian brother and I know that he is well intentioned. I am also writing this reiew as a missionary serving in an expensive country like Japan and as one who knows the stress and difficulties of support raising.

The book certainly has a good number of helpful things from which I was encouraged. However, my main problem with the book is the main theme or thrust of philosophy of fund-raising. The author argues that as missionaries we have to engage in face-to-face support raising i.e. asking people directly to consider supporting us or make pledges to do so.

This is very unBiblical. Although the author uses the Bible at times, he fails to show how this practice has any precedent in the Bible. We do not see at any time in the ministry of Jesus, Paul, or other Apostles where they personally asked people to support their ministries financially. They were indeed financially supported, but not because they went out and asked people for money.

I think this over-emphasis on asking people to give you money defeats one of the author's claim that it is God who is the giver and not men.

Sorry, did not mean to be negative. However, although this philosophy of fund-raising is very American and can work in some American circles, it certainly is very unBiblical. In the end it might work. But it is not because something works that it is from God. I will rather choose the Bible than pragmatism.

Dependence on God does work.

Biblical and Practical
Our ministry: TheBodyBuilders.nettrains Christian workers around the world how to raise their support. There are other excellent books out there on support raising, but i have all of our trainees read (and do all the exercises and Bible studies in the back) Funding Your Ministry by Morton. It's a great one. ... Read more

Book Description

Asking the right questions can help job seekers ace the interview and land that jobThe most critical question job interviewers ask is often the last one. That's when they lean forward and say, "Do you have any questions?" As author John Kador points out, that's the applicants' moment to shine, to demonstrate that they have done their homework and that they're good fit with the organization. Most of all, it provides an applicant with an opportunity to ask for the job. A powerful resource for vast and growing numbers of job seekers, this book fills readers in on the pivotal questions they need to ask to ace the interview.With chapters organized around major themes, such as "the company," "the job," and "the community," 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview not only supplies readers with the right questions for virtually every context but also coaches them on the right ways to ask them. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Simply Amazing! This book got me an offer.
Your book, 201 Best Questions to Ask On Your Interview got me an offer! A couple of days before my interview my father had suggested I ask the following question during my interview:

What's the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90 days of my employment?

After I heard this question, I thought, wow! What a great question to ask. My father had apparently spoken with you a few days before my interview and had relayed this question to me from you to ask (say that 3 times fast). I had learned from my father that you had actually written books on the topic of interviews and questions to ask, so I immediately ran to the store to pick up a copy. I picked up a copy of your book on a Tuesday late evening and had read it from front to back 3 times before my interview on Thursday morning.

I am strongly convinced that your book got me an offer! Thank you. I have been on many interviews throughout my short time in the workforce and had never felt as comfortable as I did in my last interview after reading your book. I was amazed to hear hiring managers and human resource representatives respond to the questions I asked them. Their responses were nearly identical to the responses you stated in your book.

Again, thank you for a great book and the job offer. I may have been able to pull it off without reading your book, but I'm convinced (especially in today's market) that your questions placed me at the top of the pile.

This book makes sense
I recently had the opportunity to interview for a senior position in a company that that seems to be exceptionally good for me. While I actually knew one of the senior executives I was interviewing with, he had confirmed to me that it was extremely important for me to have a strong positive impact on one of the other two interviewers.

On my flight to the interview, I reviewed this book and found a number of questions that I wanted to keep on hand for the "right time" - and I jotted them down - along with others that were more specific to the position, product, and industry, then organized them according to categories - product, company, job, etc.

During the interview, I asked a number of them, and almost each time I asked a question, the hiring executive paused, and then said something like "that's an excellent question" and then went into a thoughtful and valuable response. His answers to these questions gave me a tremendous insight into the company that I might not have gotten without asking the questions.

At the same time, my questions demonstrated my level of interest in the position, the company, and his opinions. They showed that I was prepared, thoughtful, and intelligent.

While I might have been able to come up with them on my own, John Kador's book helped me identify the key questions to ask, and even helped with the phrasing of the questions to have the greatest possible impact.

I asked questions like:

What are the three top priorities for the person in this position in the next 90 days?

and

What are the key characteristics you're looking for in the person who you select for this position?

I am certain that the interviewer thought more of me for asking thoughtful questions - even though I think he liked me before I asked them.

This is a quick and easy book to read, and an easy book to use. The ideas that it includes - in addition to the questions it offers - are not "rocket science", but they are offered and described in ways that can be easily adapted to the situation you're in. The "tips" on interviewing are also quite useful in general.

This book has already proven helpful and valuable and I will refer to it before any job interview I have in the future. While there are many books on interviewing and job hunting, this one is a quick study, easy to read, and most importantly, very useful. I highly recommend it to anyone interviewing for any level position.

I Got A Job Offer!
I wanted to write and say THANK YOU!! For the first time in a number of years, I felt like I had an excellent interview. Up until this past weekend, I was having problems with interviews. The main thing: Questions. I couldn't figure out why I was being turned down for positions left and right, even though my qualifications were that of what they called for. I had almost given up hope. I was looking for jobs as a field technician nationwide. I heard nothing.

My mom, who is a temporary staffing recruiter, picked your book "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview" for me, and read this book, taking notes as I went along. I had about 4 days to prepare for this interview, and felt pressured. But seeing some of the "Questions NOT to ask", I cracked a smile, and felt better.

When I went to the interview, I felt very comfortable with the situation, knowing that by reading your book, I now knew what to do, and what not to do. The interview lasted an hour and a half, in which the interviewer and I sat and chatted about non-interview items.

Today, I wrote the interviewer to ask if a decision had been reached, and was shocked to receive a phone call from him, offering me the position. I almost fell out of my chair.

In the end, I thank two people. God, as my heavenly father, guiding me through this interview, and you, for helping me out with the hard parts of the interviewing process to which I probably would not have received this position without.

To me, seeing success after the first interview from reading your book, it paid for itself, seeing the smile on my face when I heard the answer. I will recommend it to friends and family.

Once again, thank you so much!

A Seasoned Recruiter
I read the book from cover to cover, in one sitting and found it profoundly comprehensive and entertaining. I didn't want to put it down. As I read, I kept saying, "Yes, uh-huh, that's true, that's really good." As a recruiter, I know my candidates would be more successful if they took greater responsibility for a successful interview through asking appropriate questions. The question is an invaluable tool to communicate something to me that hasn't been covered during the interview; when done well, it's one more chance to help me see the fit of the candidate to the position.
John Kador's interviewing insights and list of questions enable the job seeker to think more strategically, promote their strengths, and communicate more professionally during the different stages of the interview process.
I'd definitely recommend this book to even the most experienced interviewers! (and even a few recruiters!)

A must-have resource for the job seeker!!!!
Excellent resource for the job seeker!!! Offers great tips and balance tilting questions to ask your recruiter or hiring manager. I much appreciate the focus on the actual questions CANDIDATES should ask vs. what we should say to a hiring manager in response to THEIR questions. Easy to read as well. ... Read more

Book Description

In many cases, people select a career for all the wrong reasons, and find their responses to the workplace are incompatible with their true values. This situation results in feelings of unrest and discontent and in lost productivity. To help people avoid these problems, the newly-revised Career Anchors is designed to help people uncover their real values and use them to make better career choices. This revised edition includes two new sections, "Major Stages of the Career" and "Career Movement, Progress, or Success." Instructions and other components have been revamped for clarification, the references have been updated, and the contents have been rearranged for more convenient usage in classes and workshops. Career Anchors can help you think through your career options and give you a clear understanding of:

• Your own orientations toward work
• Your motives
• Your values
• Your talents

• Define the themes and patterns dominant in your life
• Understand your own approach to work and a career
• Provide reasons for choices
• Take steps to fulfill your own self-image ... Read more

  Reviews (2)

  Discover Your Career Anchor
  After reading this book and taking its quizes, I found that it was mildly informative. It provided a good start for self-insight. There wasn't a major or deep revelation for me about my career anchor or why I was so disatisfied with my present job role. This book will help you determine what your career anchor is (what motivates and stimulates you) and then it will end there. You are left in the dark with how to develop your career around your anchor. The book, however, is true to its subtitle "Discovering your real values"-- but doesn't delve into what to do after this discovery.

  Discover what you want!
  Have you ever wondered if you're in the right career? Well I am a trainer in a 13,000+ staff company & 10% of them don't really know why they're not satisfied with their job. Well, it's because they're in the wrong job. This book gives you exercises to help you understand more about your values and gives suggestions on how to change that. If you're in career consultant business, this is a classic book to read and adopt to your existing tools. ... Read more

Book Description

Here's the guide you've been looking for - written by a successful consultant who has himself written hundreds of winning proposals. In this easy-to-read, easy-to-follow book, consultant Alan Weiss takes you step-by-step through the proposal process from definitions, objectives and essential preparation techniques...through the actual structuring and writing process...and on to the all-important client followup.

How to Write A Proposal That's Accepted Every Timeshows you how to acquire the information that creates winning proposals in collaboration with the buyer . "That's the key to proposal acceptance," says Weiss, "Collaboration with and agreement by the client prior to anything being committed to paper."

In this practical guide you'll learn how to -

Avoid gatekeepers and deal only with the economic buyer (the person who can cause a check to be signed).
Establish boundaries and avoid "scope creep."
Effectively convey the value of the project.
Frame your intervention in terms of outcomes rather than cost. And much more...

Let this detailed, how-to guide lead you to consulting success, before, during and after the proposal process! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Use this book to make money today!
I was skeptical. How could one book be worth over $100? And how could Alan Weiss tell me how to write proposals to my unique clients? It has been almost one year since I asked those questions...If I knew then what I know now, I would have paid a $1000 for this book! Here are the facts,when I first started using Alan's proposal templates my closing ratio went down from approximately 90% to 75%. BUT my consulting engagment fees went UP OVER 100%. Now, I have learned to avoid clients who don't value my work and my closing ratio has gone back to about 90% at almost double the value to me! But that is not the biggest benefit, through this book I learned how to get paid in advance...before I ever begin the project. Prior to using Alan's models I was never paid in advance, now 40% of my clients are paying me a much higher fee and paying it in advance.

I no longer have this book. I took the pages apart and filed the proposal templates according to my client base and instructed my client services manager to never deviate from these templates.

There are many books that have helped me think more critically, solve problems quicker and speak more effectively...BUT nothing has helped me increase my consulting revenue like this one by Alan Weiss. ... Read more

Book Description

Byars and Rue's, Human Resource Management, 7/e, emphasizes the theoretical and practical aspects of HRM. The theoretical material is presented throughout the text and highlighted via a marginal glossary. The practical aspects of HRM are presented through lively and pedagogically effective examples placed throughout the text, as well as in the end-of-chapter materials. The new edition reflects changes in the business world in general, and the HRM function within organizations, since the previous edition was published. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent textbook
Professor's Byars and Rue present an enviable text of tradititional managerial problems in the shifting sand of today's Human Resources. The text breaks down into descriptive chapter headings how to analyze the tricky relationship between operations an HR, what it means to get (and regrettably not to get) top management support, how to recruit internally and externally, and what legislative mine fields need be identified to less concerned managers.

I teach at a local college and am happy to rely on this text for my Humman Resources Management classes. I expecially enjoy the facility of the text for less experienced underclassmen. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury ... Read more

Book Description

This premier edition of Milady's Standard Comprehensive Training for Estheticians provides students with coverage of all the basic esthetic skills, but also expands into advanced techniques and the latest products and equipment in the skin care field.Each chapter is written by an industry expert, with step-by-step technicals clearly depicted through photographs and illustrationsmany of which are also featured on the 12-tape Video Library.This comprehensive, easy-to-understand resource is suitable for 600 to 1200-hour programs with special emphasis on providing estheticians with the communication, business, and retailing skills essential to their profession. This new system keeps pace with the booming esthetics industry providing the theoretical, practical, and essential information every skin care professional needs to succeed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Esthetician's Bible
This is an awesome book for the Esthetician just starting out and those who need a re-fresher. Purchased this book at a convention and cannot put it down. Highly recommended.. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great read.
"Don't Retire, Rewire," prepares the prospective retiree to think critically about retirement before actually entering into it. Retirement is often not what people expect. This well-written book drives home the point that people approaching retirement age need to understand their drivers as they consider their "post-professional" life. The case study approach is helpful, too. I highly recommmend this book.

Positive Advice
"Don't Retire Rewire" is a positive approach to changing stream mid career. Sedlar and Miners are well qualified to write this book after working with literally 100's of men and women who have found themselves in a new situation, either an early unplanned retirement or job transision.

Their positive approach is a breath of fresh air....sure to give the reader lots of advice you can put right to work.

Finally, Some Hands-On Advice for ex-CEO's
I'm 48 and a former CEO of a large real estate information company based in New Jersey. Last year I voluntarily gave up my CEO title -- and all of its day-to-day responsibilities -- and assumed the role of Chairman. I did NOT realize what a huge role difference this would be and the impact it would have on me. Stripped of a large part of my "power base" I felt cut adrift, unfocused, at times even desperate.

Don't Retire, REWIRE has been a beacon of light for me, providing a clear framework for mapping out the second half of my life. This is material that I've been searching a long time for, a book that helped shift my thinking from income statements and balance sheets to life's core benchmarks -- those soulful areas such as following my passions, developing my skills, and pursuing my dreams.

The most valuable part of the book for me lay in the case studies of how real people faced the challenge of life's transitions. It sparked dozens of ideas which I narrowed down to one very fulfilling direction that I'm exploring now.

Read REWIRE -- but then USE it and FOLLOW it. It could be life-changing for you, too.

Specific Insight
Found REWIRE to be very helpful in a very specific circumstance. Experienced executives or other professionals should not be confused with those individuals who are just looking for "greener pastures".With a myriad of other self-help books about changing jobs and careers REWIRE specifically addresses those at a later stage of their career. It was nice to not be lumped with a bunch of dissatified thirty-somethings!

It Makes You Think!
I have been looking for a book to guide me and my husband thru the process of retirement, which will shortly be upon us. Don't Retire, Rewire! is a great guide with a lot of thought provoking questions. We both read the book and sat down and to talk about what we learned. We came to the conclusion independently that we want to continue to work in some fashion. Without this book, I don't think we would have the confidence we need to chart our new course. Sedlar & Miners have a unique perspective on planning and executing a retirement plan. I have bought a copy of the book for my sister and brother. It should be on every pre retirees required reading list. It is a great resource of information as well. Reading it saved us a lot of stress and needless worry. ... Read more

Book Description

Take the guesswork out of the most important decision you make! Interviewing and Selecting High Performers Every Manager’s Guide to Effective Interviewing Techniques Current studies show that high-quality workers outproduce poor ones by 25% to 50%. Moreover, these findings reveal the alarmingly high direct and indirect costs companies pay when they hire the wrong people. So why, asks Richard Beatty, would you want to rely on "hit-and-miss" approaches to selecting new employees? In his latest practical, career-oriented guide, Beatty says you no longer have to. Instead, this renowned consultant and author shows how you can consistently choose high-quality performers who fit both your company’s immediate needs and long-term strategic goals. Interviewing and Selecting High Performers provides you with an integrated, airtight, step-by-step selection process. Using a high-performance predictive model, this system clarifies the key qualifications needed by candidates for high performance of specific jobs and provides a rigorous interview design approach that enables you to objectively measure whether a particular candidate meets that criteria. With the help of reproducible evaluation forms, you’re able to accurately weigh the strengths and weaknesses of various prospects and account for the inevitable tradeoffs involved in the selection process, so that you minimize the risks inherent in the employment decision. In addition, Interviewing and Selecting High Performers offers you unmatched support, including:

• Sound, field-tested interviewing techniques
• Step-by-step instructions for designing effective interviews
• Guidance on opening, conducting, and closing the interview, so that you get the information you need while putting your company in the best light
• More than 500 behaviorally-based questions covering 32 topic areas that help you determine a prospect’s overall job fitness

Reviews (2)

Learn a Quantitative Method to Interviewing
In my experience as a professional recruiter over 22 years, I have worked with over 2000 managers. Most managers have never been taught how to interview effectively.

Where do managers usually come from? Promotions. Usually, what is one of their first tasks? Fill the position they just vacated. Where in this process were they taught how to interview? They then ask themselves "What questions did they ask me?"

Generally, the Human Resource Department will give them written guidelines about the personal questions that may not be asked, but do not teach them how to conduct effective interviews. Why not? In smaller companies, the Human Resource Manager themselves may not conduct effective interviews because their previous position did not require that training, and they are "too busy" in their current position to be trained.

This leaves it up to you, the hiring manager. "Interviewing and Selecting High Performers" by Richard Beatty provides you with an excellent foundation to prepare for an interview. He demonstrates why people are an organization's most important resource (People control all of the resources). He provides you with an exercise to demonstrate the cost of a poor hire - should scare you into becoming a manager who selects high performers.

Mr. Beatty walks you through structuring the interview, provides you with 500 or so behaviorally based questions (However, I would shy away from the personal questions), and suggests a structured interview. His structured interview requires a lot of work. However, at the end, you and your interviewing team will be able to give each candidate a numerical grade. The managers that I have taught to use this system swear by it. Personally, I guarantee that if you ever hire someone who received a "34" on their interview because "my gut told me this is a good person", after being disappointed with their performance, you will never do it again.

I would suggest that you also read "Topgrading" by Bradford Smart and then blend the two processes together. Selecting high performers is one of a manager's most important jobs. Congratulations on searching to find a way to be more effective. www.recruiterguy.com

A great book to prepare yourself for interviewing
I found this book to have excellent material in interview preparation and selecting good employees. I can recommend this book.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "How to Spot a Liar in a Job Interview" and "How to Spot a Phony Resume" docwifford@msn.com ... Read more

Book Description

This imporant book provides the model for ethics-based, client-first servicein the real estate industry.It shows you how to stay in step with technology and incorporate the Internet with the personal touch clients expect.You'll also learn a variety of strategies in deal-making, home staging, reverse farming, referral streams, and future income streams that will make you a more productive and more successful agent. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

great book
This is a great book especially for the new agent. It tells all about every single step you are going to take during a real estate transaction and gives great tips on prospecting and other helpful information a new agent might want to know. I have read several others books and this one is by far the best. Most of the other books have been about "scripts" and salesmen approaches to closing the deal. I totally disagree with the old approach. There is nothing wrong with being honest in a real estate transaction, after all it's your own business.

Positive and Informative
This book has loads of useful information and advice both for people considering a career as a real estate agent and for those already in the business. The author is extremely positive in her style throughout the book, and makes the reader believe he/she can't help but succeed with the right approach, hard work, and perserverence. I recommend this book to anyone thinking of becoming or already a real estate agent.

Buy this book if you're considering a career in real estate!
This book is fun, helpful and informative to anyone interested in starting a real estate career. It contains a ton of helpful information and is written in an intelligent manner, with tips and hints along the way. I'm studying for my real estate license and although I'm learning a lot from an accredited company, it's nice to have a book that discusses the aspects of real estate in a lighter, easy-to-read tone.

Not Realistic
The author has a utopian view of the world of real estate that is far from reality. She acts as if one does everything in her book clients will come flocking to one's door. If it were this easy, everyone would be a real estate agent. As proof, I visited the author's website, and she has only one house listed for sale.

This book gives the new agent tools to move with confidence
I bought this book immediately after passing the real estate exam. While I was reading it I became engrossed in it. Marilyn Sullivan inspires the spirit of professionalism, integrity and Ethics for the Real Estate Agent. This book is loaded with excellent principals, suggestions, advice and must do's. This book really should be a must read for every Real Estate Agent Candidate in every state. Speaking as the new kid on the block, this book has given me the tools to move ahead in my new career with confidence and a sense of pride of being a Real Estate Agent. I feel that armed with this new knowledge from Marilyn Sullivan, I will be a success in my new career. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

ALL writers (or potential writers) should read this book!
This book is fantastic. Just when I thought I'd read it all, I stumbled across this book while surfing the Internet. It is by far the best book I've ever come across to help someone overcome procrastination or any other writing "problem."

The first chapter is a bit overly academic in tone, but the rest is down-to-earth. He does an exceptional job discussing free-writing and clustering; and then he goes on to give further advice regarding how to manage your social and environmental situation to encourage your productivity. His advice works very well -- and it is not just for academic writers.

Essential for struggling academic writers
This is one of the best books out there for academics who need help getting themselves to write. I'm a clinical psychologist who coaches faculty, post-docs and grad students, and this is one of the first books I recommend. Almost all of Boice's prolific body of work is useful - and his suggestions, both in books and journal articles, are backed up by research - this makes his contributions unique in the genre of self-help books for academics.

Advice that really works
Face it, all of us academics would like to think that someday a muse will descend upon us and infuse us with the capability to write the great work in our field without self-doubt, procrastination, etc. Boice shows empirical evidence that demonstrates these hopes are in vain (which is no big surprise to anyone), but even better, he provides the solution: writing is like physical exercise--the more you do it, the easier and more pleasant it becomes--if you write a little bit every day, even if you think it's pointless, at the end of a six month period, you will have 150 pages of writing to edit. It makes sense and it works. He even talks about reasons that people want to resist this truth, and how to trick yourself out of your writer's block. Grad students especially should benefit from the strategies he suggests.

Field tested, with just the right tone
Boice's book is a little gem, published in 1990 by an obscure press in Stillwater, OK. Its step-wise process to facilitate writing is tested and it works. I especially like where he quotes his clients on their objections to his process, and then gives his answers to these objections. The "blocking questionnaire" in the appendix is most helpful for pinpointing factors that inhibit writing. This book deserves a wide audience.

A Must for Academic Writers
If you are writing a dissertation, thesis, or engaged in other regular academic writing this book is a must read. Boice's sage advice is based on years of experience with and (yes, empirical evidence) research on helping academicians produce necessary writing -- regularly. He includes self-assessment questionnaire on writer's block that enables you to target your areas of strength and weakness so you can focus on exactly the areas that hinder your progress. The book is short (180 pp including excellent anotated bibliography). He answers the agonizing questions about why you don't write when you want to and desperately need to write. He discusses, in clear, concise detail, the phenomenology of writing problems, while providing both short- and long-term strategies for ensuring writing productivity that are actually do-able. His writing style is easy, conversational and reassuring. He takes you through his actual consultation process, session by session. Simply stated, the book is just great. ... Read more

Book Description

Booklist

In this era of entrepreneurialism, Atlanta freelancer Peter Bowerman shows those timid (but talented) souls how almost anyone can forge ahead as an independent writer. His advice is good, couched in brassy prose that is easy to read. He anticipates every conceivable question and issue, including typical charges, marketing oneself, types of available work, and dealing with deadbeats. There are great common-sense tips, too, in the psychology of handling clients who think they’re writers, those with limited budgets, and others demanding creativity. Personal anecdotes make the life of the freelancer real; the author includes samples of cold-calling scripts, thank-you notes, and a story or three about starting a writers’ group and partnering with other professionals.

Book Description

Dream of being a well-paid freelance writer? Long to carve out an enviable lifestyle with plenty of freedom, flexibility AND healthy income? But wait a minute…aren’t the words "starving" and "writer" forever joined at the hip? Not anymore.

How about a writing direction with plenty of work, strong and growing demand for good writers, hourly rates of $50-100+ ($60-75 average) and where all time is billed? No flat fees with vast, open-ended commitments of time. Translation? Less time working to pay bills and more time pursuing your writing passions.

We’re talking about freelance commercial writing – writing for business entities, large and small – the subject of The Well-Fed Writer, and quite possibly the answer for all aspiring writers who want to turn their love of writing into their living. The book was a triple-book-club-selection (Book-of-the-Month, Quality Paperback Book and Writer’s Digest) and earned several prestigious awards in 2001:

1) Second place in the ForeWord magazine Book of the Year Awards (Career Category)

2) Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest magazine National Self-Published Book Awards

3) Finalist in the Publisher’s Marketing Association Ben Franklin Awards (Best First Book).

Why commercial writing? In the past decade, two huge trends have sculpted the corporate American landscape: downsizing and outsourcing. Corporations are doing more with less: fewer people, less resources and smaller budgets. The workload is growing – especially with the exploding Internet – and many organizations rely heavily on freelancers to help them handle it.

Why do corporations hire freelancers? For good solid economic and creative reasons. With a freelancer, corporations don’t have to pay salary, benefits, and vacation time. But they will pay a freelancer $60-80 (average) for their time. In addition, they pay only what they need when they need it. And with a network of freelancers, they get a broad spectrum of fresh talent (hard to get with in-house staff writers used to writing about the same topics day after day) which they can form-fit to their specific writing needs.

What’s "commercial writing"? Marketing brochures, ad copy, newsletters, direct mail campaigns, video/CD-ROM scripting, speeches, sales sheets, proposals, web content, and so much more.

Veteran commercial freelancer Bob Bly, known as the freelance writing "guru" for his 35+ writing titles, says of commercial freelancing: "I know of no other arena of writing so lucrative yet so easy to get started in."

The Well-Fed Writer will take you step-by-detailed-step through, indeed, everything you need to know to quickly get your share of this exciting and highly lucrative arena of freelancing. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Complete and informative
In "The Well-Fed Writer" Peter Bowerman discloses the techniques of breaking into freelance commercial writing. Why would this interest you if you plan to be the next star on the fiction novel scene? Because it would be nice to eat while you are writing that novel. On the other hand, if you just want to change occupations, want a writer's lifestyle or just want to make some money doing something you love, then this is still a viable direction to take.

This is one of the most thorough books on writing for corporate America that I have ever seen. It includes such practical information as what type of writing you can get, approximate price ranges, how to go about locating companies that need writing outsourced, marketing scripts, etc. It is a complete step-by-step guide that takes you through a repeatable process to becoming recognized as a commercial writer and on your way to a career in writing.

While established writers may gain some additional valuable insights, this book is strongly focused on the new writer trying to get established. A highly recommended book for anyone wanting to start making a living in freelance writing.

A great perspective, but not the whole picture
I love this book. Well-written, fun to read. However, I was hoping for more nuts-and-bolts coverage of the "official" side of freelancing--i.e. tax advice, the best way to legally structure the biz, etc. If you're not careful, you as a freelance writer can get hammered pretty hard on taxes. If you're looking for something that will help with the transition from having an interest in a writing business to actually having a (legitimate) writing business, you'll come up short with this book.

One reviewer mentioned that Bowerman was in a different financial landscape from the one we're in today, which is definitely valid. However, one of the excellent points he does make is that you can succeed no matter what the economic climate, and that you shouldn't stress over vague notions of "the economy". I find myself going back to this book again and again simply for the fact that it's a fantastic pep talk for anyone looking to take the big leap.

A Regurgitation of Bly's stuff
This book was mainly a dumbed down, regurgitation of Bob Bly's "Secrets of a Freelance Writer" and other books. I guess if you're insecure about your writing abilities, or don't have a clue where to start (which Bly can help with too) this book might help, because the author comes across as a regular guy and etc. but there is nothing of substance here that you won't find in Bly's book. Maybe a LOT more of the author's day, the author's thoughts, etc. etc. Bly is more professional and detailed about the business, HOW to write copy, what you can reasonably expect to earn and much much more. Go right to the source of this information and buy "Secrets".

The Well-Fed Writer Helps Float Your Boat
What I like most about this book, other than the wonderfully fresh and casual tone, is that it helps readers decide if they want to be a freelance commercial writer, not just if they can be. Lots of people can write well. (Lots more can't.) Of those people that write well, some have a creative flair well suited to commercial writing, and some don't. Of those that have the flair, some are cut out to be freelance writers and some aren't. By describing what you can expect to write, the types of people you will be working with, the challenges you will face, and a typical "day in the life" of a freelance commercial writer, this book gives you a pretty good idea of whether this career is for you, and whether you are for it.

The author weaves personal stories into practical, effective, and specific ideas on how to organize, market, and motivate yourself. Nearly every aspect of the business is covered. You still need the right abilities, aptitude, and attitude, but if you've got all that, reading this book can definitely help get your boat out of dry dock, into the water, and floating. How far you sail is up to you.

Who IS this guy?
I was interested in buying this book (it looked the part on first glance -- that's why I gave it three stars), but wanted more information about the author first. So I "Googled" him. The first entry I came across in "Google Groups" was a spam site with a "get rich quick"-type post from a Peter Bowerman. His address seemed to be the same as that of the publisher of "The Well-Fed Writer."

If this is the same person, it sure diminished his credibility with me.

Perhaps Mr. Bowerman would care to respond? ... Read more

Book Description

You cannot improve your organization's safety performance to enviable levels without addressing human behavior and attitude effectively. The only comprehensive reference on the psychology of the human dynamics of safety, The Psychology of Safety Handbook shows you how to apply psychology to improve safety and health in your organization. Dr. Geller provides theory, procedures, and tools to guide your organization's long-term continuous improvement. Based on Dr. Geller's bestselling The Psychology of Safety, this new and expanded Handbook gives you everything you need to decrease the frequency and severity of accidental injuries in your organization. He covers all areas of psychology directly relevant to understanding and influencing safety-related behaviors. Engineering interventions and government policy have made their mark on injury reduction. Now it is time to work with the human dynamics of injury prevention. The cause of most injuries can be attributed to at-risk behavior or insufficient safe behavior. The Psychology of Safety Handbook not only teaches principles and practical procedures for improving safety-related behaviors, but also illustrates how to increase people's willingness to use these techniques to create a Total Safety Culture.For more than three decades, Professor E. Scott Geller has taught and conducted research as a faculty member of Virginia Tech's Department of Psychology. In this capacity he has authored more than 250 research articles and over 50 books or chapters addressing the development and evaluation of behavior-change interventions to improve quality of life. He has authored seven books on managing behaviors and attitudes for occupational health and safety, including The Psychology of Safety and Working Safe. Dr. Geller is Senior Partner of Safety Performance Solutions, a leading training and consulting firm helping companies empower their employees to achieve a Total Safety Culture. He has been awarded Fellow status by the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and the World Academy of Productivity and Quality. Moreover, Scott Geller has been honored with three university-wide teaching awards - every one offered by Virginia Tech. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Using Psychology to Enhance Safety Performance
The focus of The Psychology of Safety Handbook is improving safety performance through psychology and methods of applied behavior analysis. Dr. Geller published the Psychology of Safety in 1996, and this Handbook is an extensive revision of that book.

The Handbook presents new approaches to improving safety performance based on research in applied behavior analysis. These approaches can enhance traditional approaches to workplace safety, or even replace many of the safety program traditions that are commonly ineffective.

Dr. Geller presents academic information in an entertaining and easy-to-read manner. He reviews ten paradigm shifts needed in safety including shifting from government regulation to corporate responsibility, from failure-oriented to achievement oriented mindsets, and from top-down control to bottom-up involvement.

The book covers basic principles of behavioral safety, principles based on years of research as well as "real world" experience. Relevant examples, illustrations, and brief case studies are provided for the reader. Some of the principles include the primacy of behavior, reducing at-risk behaviors, and methods of learning and conditioning.

The author goes into great detail explaining human barriers to safety and effective intervention methods. ABC Analysis is presented as a tool to analyze safety related behaviors, and various intervention methods are described in detail. There are great chapters on intervening as a behavior-change agent (Safety coaching) and intervening with supportive conversation.

There is also a great section about "Actively Caring," which is a concept coined by the author and refers to planned and purposeful behavior directed at improving safety performance. When people actively care for safety, they go beyond the call of duty on behalf of their safety and others. Dr. Geller describes the importance of this behavior, and includes a chapter on how to increase actively caring behavior.

Anyone concerned with safety also wants to maintain and sustain any gains they make. The final chapters of the book detail how to promote high-performance teamwork for safety, how to evaluate for continuous improvement, and how to obtain and maintain involvement in safety. The final chapter of the book reviews 50 principles to follow in making a difference in safety.

In my opinion, Dr. Geller is the world's foremost authority on the psychology of safety. The Psychology of Safety Handbook is a comprehensive, practical, and state-of-the-art study of a complex subject. The methods and approaches described in the book do work when clearly understood and properly applied. This book is useful for students, safety professionals, managers, supervisors, safety committee members, employees and union workers, and is highly recommended for anyone who sincerely desires to make a difference in health and safety. ... Read more

Book Description

Problem Solved!

Uses your favorite top-drawer tool—the Post-it® Note. Great for individuals, great for groups—large or small.

Problems come in all shapes and sizes, yet most have common characteristics that can be addressed with the techniques found in this book. Rapid Problem-Solving with Post-it® Notes shows you how to use six types of techniques:

The Post-up—Provides methods for getting information into chunks
The Swap Sort—Shows listing and organization methods
The Top-down Tree—Works when the nature of the problem is unknown
The Information Map—Maps messy problems and complex relationships
The Action Map—Plans actions or maps an existing process
More than 70 diagrams and examples for solving everyday problems.

This refreshing book reminds us the simplest ideas are often the most effective.

Solve problems, create solutions and find answers fast—all with the help of Post-it® Notes. Tens of millions of Post-it® Notes users can now learn how to do far more with these great little tools. Post-it® Notes can be used to help solve difficult problems because they:

Are the right size to hold one piece of information from a problemAre easily to attached to flat surfaces and stay putCan be moved and reattached many times ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A wonderful introduction to systems thinking
This book is a real wonder.

In a very friendly way, and without resorting to any technology beyond sticky notes, it introduces several concepts of computer science and systems engineering.

It can be used as a brainstorming tool, but it can also be used by us programmers as a gift to the non-programmers in our lives. It can serve as an exposition of what it is we do all day when we aren't cursing irritating APIs and OS misfeatures. This is about the part of our jobs that we love and that we have so much trouble explaining.

I'm delighted it's still in print. I love oddball books in general, and this is a great example. It reall